Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

Critical Voices: Arcade Fire, Reflektor

Though it took them a trip to the Caribbean and some Disco lessons from LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, Arcade Fire has finally learned how to have fun. The indie rock band’s fourth release, Reflektor, marks an intentional movement away from their definitive, Grammy-winning sound and ushers in a reenergized, playful one that is less saturated in heavy thematic content. This doesn’t mean that Reflektor is entirely free from William Butler’s didactic, preachy lyrics, but this time they are delivered in a more brightly lit way.

By October 31, 2013

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Nomadic brings Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to life

“Who are we when nobody is watching?” goes the director’s tagline for Nomadic Theater’s production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a post-absurdist play by Tom Stoppard. Director Kathleen Joyce (COL ‘15) notes that, “We live a fundamentally absurd existence with rules that don’t make sense. … Post-absurdism says ‘How can we live our lives under those assumptions? How can we be sane and happy given the chaotic universe that we live in?’”

By October 24, 2013

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Live fast, die young: Bad girls do it well in The Counselor

Drug cartels and decapitations have never been so sexy. Although his stunning A-list cast definitely helps, Ridley Scott infuses The Counselor with a ubiquitous sex appeal that seeps through every meticulous detail of the film. It’s difficult to imagine that such an attractive movie could successfully carry themes of grief and death, but Scott’s silver platter proves to be a successful vehicle for the ugliest of human experiences.

By October 24, 2013

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Van Gogh’s Repetitions: New each visit

Vincent van Gogh’s paintings are sculpture. Using a technique called impasto, his brush strokes are so thickly applied that they create peaks and canyons of paint. These mountains and caverns create an image of a furious flurry of activity in his paintings. Consistent throughout van Gogh’s oeuvre, his technical virtuosity appears improvised.

By October 24, 2013

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These tapas ain’t free

At Barcelona Wine Bar, a bull’s head hangs on the wall, flames roar in the open kitchen, and rows upon rows of glistening wine glasses create a curtain of reflecting light. Rough exposed wood panel line the interior, and a wall of glass looks out onto the patio where a fire is burning in the open oven. The tables are small and modern, maintaining a touch a tradition in their wooden look, but creating a sense of openness with sharp angles and minimalistic wrought-iron legs. While the wood is dark and earthy, the glass wall and high black ceiling open up the rest of the space to create a grounded, harmonious balance between the light and the heavy, the earthy and the spacious. Every aspect of the place is perfectly poised.

By October 24, 2013

Leisure

Plate of the Union: The Joys of Campus Cooking

This is the first year I have had access to a full kitchen at Georgetown (sorry Village B, but size matters), and it has been a blast to experiment with cooking and develop a culinary personality. Sriracha hot sauce features heavily in my food identity. Try any dish that comes out of my kitchen, and probability says you will ingest a healthy dose of Sriracha. I have to buy this stuff in bulk because of how I often I use it. Eggs, pasta, soup, meatloaf—you name it, and I’ve put Sriracha on it. Thus far, I’ve only managed to avoid squeezing a bit of the good stuff into baked goods.

By and October 24, 2013

Leisure

Reel Talk: Conjuring up movie magic

Getting ready for Halloween at Georgetown can be complicated—with two weekends of parties, the creativity to fuel multiple costume changes can start to run thin. But there’s one thing that should never be left off a true Halloweener’s to-do list, no matter how busy the holiday festivities get—horror movies.

By October 24, 2013

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Critical Voices: Sainthood Reps, Headswell

Sainthood Reps’ sophomore release, Headswell, blasts listeners with a head-clearing assault on the senses. With the release of their most recent collection of artful rock jams, the four-piece has stepped to center stage as a contender for the brightest musical spark from the Long Island, New York breeding ground for its now-characteristic strain of heavy, creative alternative rock.

By October 24, 2013

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Critical Voices: The Head and the Heart, Let’s Be Still

Beautiful. The only word that surfaced in my mind as tears welled up in my eyes at the close of The Head and the Heart’s self-titled debut album, which I left spinning in my car’s stereo for many months of my senior year of high school.

By October 24, 2013

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Mask & Bauble plays with Woody Allen

Don’t Drink the Water, Woody Allen’s Cold War farce set in the American Embassy of an unnamed country behind the Iron Curtain, first hit stages in 1966. This midterm season, from Oct. 17 to 26, Mask & Bauble’s adaptation succeeds in bringing the script’s comic relief alive for harried students. Its madcap ensemble includes a magician priest, three tourists from New Jersey running from the communist police, and the fumbling son of a famous diplomat, protagonist Axel Magee. When Axel’s father puts him in charge of a short trip, chaos ensues—Woody Allen style.

By October 17, 2013

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Fifth Estate or Fifth Column? Cumberbatch has you decide

Bill Condon’s The Fifth Estate takes an impressive cast (who doesn’t love Benedict Cumberbatch and Professor Lupin?) and combines it with one of the most controversial events in recent history to make one of the most ambitious dramas I’ve ever seen.

By October 17, 2013

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Ejiofor breaks chains and fourth wall in 12 Years a Slave

Full disclosure: I am a descendent of slave owners. However, it doesn’t take a sordid family history to be struck by the stark anguish of Solomon Northup’s (Chiwetel Ejiofor) captivity in 12 Years a Slave.

By October 17, 2013

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Under the Covers: When coming out is a crime

Born in 1973, Abdellah Taia is the first openly-gay Moroccan author to address the gay scene in North Africa. During OUTober, a celebration of LGBTQ culture here at Georgetown, I saw a friend post on Facebook about Taia’s new movie Salvation Army, an adaptation of the eponymous novel featuring a young, gay Moroccan boy.

By October 17, 2013

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Idiot Box: Primetime has gone brain dead

There’s something about zombies. I’m not sure if it’s the palatable idea of flesh-eating corpses or the escapism that a zombie apocalypse offers citizens of a government shutdown, but Americans just can’t get enough of The Walking Dead. Apparently, we like it even more than Sunday night football. This is a big deal for me, since I’m the kind of quintessential American that knows exactly what those cactus-shaped posts on either side of the field are for and wouldn’t dream of ignoring the Super Bowl until Beyoncé comes on. In short, zombies are huge.

By October 17, 2013

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Critical Voices: The Avett Brothers, Magpie and the Dandelion

“Let’s find something new to talk about / I’m tired of talking about myself,” Seth Avett sings in the opening lines of his band’s most recent release, Magpie and the Dandelion. Candid as always, the Avett Brothers confess in this moment the fear that keeps any well-established band up at night: How do we create something new, but stay true to ourselves?

By October 17, 2013

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Critical Voices: Paul McCartney, New

Paul McCartney is the only artist on earth who could get away with calling a new album “New.” New is not even all that new, as the album is pervaded by classic McCartney sounds and visions from his pre-Beatles days. But does this matter? Of course not. What does matter is that this is one of Sir Paul’s best solo works to date.

By October 17, 2013

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The District’s record stores will spin you right round, baby

If you’re fed up with pseudo indie, overpriced, and pretentiously displayed record collections, despair no more. The Voice has uncovered some gems that are sure to satisfy your craving for... Read more

By and October 10, 2013

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Newton’s Noodles proves derivative

Newton’s Noodles just added two items to the District’s gastronomic lexicon: the Fuzu and the Chork. No, this isn’t a culinary fable, but the new joint may be able to leave you with a lesson on how to do Asian-infused, fast-casual dining right.

By October 10, 2013

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Like half of American marriages, A.C.O.D. ends in failure

The day-to-day struggles familiar to children of divorce—like scrolling through a voicemail list only to find alternating angry messages from mom and dad—are fodder for comedy in the cute and sappy new film, A.C.O.D. (Adult Children of Divorce).

By October 10, 2013

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Comic relief hits D.C.

Midterm season is upon us. That means late nights in Lau, struggling to stay awake while reading “The Clash of Civilizations” for the eighth time, and gulping down that fifth cup of Corp coffee. Spirits are not so high around the Hilltop, but starting Oct. 10, the Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival offers a way to fix that.

By October 10, 2013